1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless input apparatus which performs input of data and information by wireless.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, as a data entry device for inputting data and information to various types of computer apparatuses, many types of input devices have been used, such as a key board, a mouse, a trackball, a game pad, a joystick, a tablet, or a touch panel. For example, in the case of a portable information processing apparatus, a data entry unit as mentioned above is sometimes fixed directly to a housing of the apparatus. However, it is usual that such a data entry unit is formed separately from a housing of a computer apparatus.
A keyboard will be taken as an example for explanation. A keyboard is paired with a main unit of an apparatus serving as a host to which the keyboard is connected so as to work. In general, codes outputted by the keyboard can be divided into two types: a code when a key is pressed, which is a code called to be a press code; and a code when a key is released, which is a code called to be a release code. When a key is pressed, a press code of the key is transmitted to the main unit of the apparatus, and when the key is released, a release code of the key is transmitted. The main unit of the apparatus measures time from reception of the press code of the key to reception of the release code of the key, judges that the key is kept pressed in the case where the time is equal to or more than a predetermined time, and may judge that the key was continuously hit plural times to perform a repeat operation of the key. By designing in this way, the operator of a key does not need to conduct an operation of pressing and releasing the key repeatedly, and can conduct typing plural times automatically by keeping the key pressed for a predetermined time or more, with the result that convenience is increased. For example, when a key xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d is kept pressed for 500 ms or more, typing the key xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d is automatically repeated at every 100 ms, and the result of input is xe2x80x9cAAA . . . xe2x80x9d However, the main unit of the apparatus works as in the case of a key being hit continuously even when the main unit of the apparatus does not receive a release code of the key after receiving a press code of the key.
A prior art apparatus which relates to prevention of such a wrong repeat operation of a keyboard is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A5-134792 (1993), for example. According to this prior art apparatus, even when a wired keyboard fails in detection of an end of pressing a key, in the case where no key is pressed, the keyboard transmits information representing such status to a main unit of an apparatus, so that a wrong repeat operation can be prevented. Thus, even when the keyboard fails in detection of a point in time when a key is released, in the case where the keyboard can detect at least a status that no key is pressed, a key repeat operation would not be performed. In the case where a release code does not reach the main unit of the apparatus although the release code is transmitted from the keyboard, a wrong repeat operation might be started. However, in the case of a wired keyboard, transmission of data transmitted from the keyboard would not be interrupted as long as an electrical connection is physically formed.
FIG. 28 schematically shows an electrical configuration of a wireless keyboard 1 which is capable of performing data transmission by wireless. The wireless keyboard 1 does not need to be connected by a wire because data transmission is performed by wireless communication between the keyboard and a main body of an apparatus, so that various kinds of problems due to the wire for connection can be avoided. For example, in the case of a wired keyboard, the keyboard cannot be moved away from a main unit of an apparatus in excess of a length of a wire connected between the main unit of the apparatus and the keyboard, and the wire between the main unit of the apparatus and the keyboard might become a nuisance.
In the wireless keyboard 1 as shown in FIG. 28, a key press operation of a keyboard 2 is detected by key press detecting means 3. In order to detect no key being pressed as in the case of JP-A 5-134792 mentioned above, the wireless keyboard 1 is provided with no key press detecting means 4. A signal which represents a result of detection by the key press detecting means 3 or the no key press detecting means is transmitted from transmitting means 5 to the main unit of the apparatus by wireless with infrared rays or the like used as a medium.
FIGS. 29(a)-29(e) show signals which are generated in accordance with a key input operation in the wireless keyboard 1 as shown in FIG. 28. At an instant when a key is pressed and at an instant when pressing the key is ended as described in FIG. 29(a), a key press and a key release as shown in FIG. 29(b) occur, which are recognized as shown in FIG. 29(c) by the host. However, there is a case where a wireless communication channel is interrupted during an operation as shown in FIG. 29(d). In this case, the host cannot recognize an end of the key pressing operation as shown in FIG. 29(e). However, it does not much matter in the case where only a key release signal reaches the host.
The wireless keyboard 1 as shown in FIG. 28 transmits information of a code associated with a key operation, to the main unit of the apparatus via the wireless communication channel. In the case of a wireless communication channel using light, radio waves or the like as a medium, there is a possibility that the communication channel is interrupted at anytime. When the communication channel is not interrupted, there is no problem because both a key press and a key release signal usually reach the main unit of the apparatus as a set. However, when the communication channel is interrupted, it may happen as shown in FIG. 29(d) that only a key press reaches the main unit of the apparatus and the key release signal expected to reach after the key press does not reach. In such a case, the main unit of the apparatus judges that the key is kept pressed and performs a key repeat process following a program operation, thereby continuing the key repeat process permanently. Although the no key press detecting means 4 is installed as shown in FIG. 28, when communication between the wireless keyboard 1 and the main unit of the apparatus is broken down because of a problem in the communication channel, information from the no key press detecting means 4 cannot be transmitted. Therefore, a wrong repeat operation of a key cannot be prevented by installing the no key press detecting means 4.
That is to say, in the case of a device such as a wired keyboard which is physically connected to a main unit of an apparatus, a release code can be always transmitted in any way, and therefore a wrong repeat operation of a key would not be performed. However, in the case of a wireless keyboard, there is a possibility that a wrong repeat operation is performed when a communication channel is interrupted and thereby the key repeat operation is repeated endlessly.
An object of the invention is to provide a wireless input apparatus which is capable of recognizing the end of an operation with reliability even when any trouble occurs in a wireless communication channel.
Another object of the invention is to provide a wireless input apparatus which is capable of preventing a wrong repeat operation even when a wireless communication channel is interrupted.
The invention provides a wireless input apparatus comprising an entry unit for use in input operation and a processing unit for performing a process of generating data associated with the operation to the entry unit, the entry unit and the processing unit being connected to each other via a wireless communication channel, the entry unit including an operation detecting section for detecting a start and end of input operation and a signal transmitting section for transmitting an operation signal via the wireless communication channel at a time when the operation detecting section detects a start of input operation and at predetermined intervals from the time of detection of the start of the input operation to a time when the operation detecting section detects an end of the input operation, and the processing unit including an end-of-operation judging timer for measuring a threshold time which is set to be longer than the predetermined interval of the signal transmitting section of the entry unit, a signal receiving section for receiving the signal transmitted from the signal transmitting section of the entry unit via the wireless communication channel, and a processing section for recognizing an input operation and causing the end-of-operation judging timer to start measuring a threshold time when the signal receiving section receives the operation signal, and when the measurement of the threshold time by the end-of-operation judging timer is ended, recognizing an end of the input operation and generating data in accordance with a recognition result.
According to the invention, a start and end of an input operation to the entry unit are detected by the operation detecting section. The signal transmitting section of the entry unit transmits an operation signal via the wireless communication channel at predetermined intervals between detection of a start of an operation and detection of an end of the operation by the operation detecting section. The processing section causes the end-of-operation judging timer to measure a threshold time which is set so as to be longer than the interval in the signal transmitting section of the entry unit. The signal receiving section of the processing unit receives a signal transmitted from the signal transmitting section of the entry unit via the wireless communication channel. When the operation signal is inputted to the signal receiving section, the processing section recognizes the input operation and causes the end-of-operation judging timer to start measuring a threshold time. When the end-of-operation judging timer has ended the measurement of the threshold time, the processing section recognizes an end of the input operation. In the case where a next operation signal from the entry unit is received by the signal receiving circuit before the end of measurement of the threshold time by the end-of-operation judging timer, the end-of-operation judging timer starts measuring the threshold time again. In the case where the operation signal from the entry unit is received at predetermined intervals, the end-of-operation judging timer would not end the measurement of the threshold time. When reception of the operation signal at predetermined intervals is stopped due to a trouble in the wireless communication channel, the end-of-operation judging timer ends the measurement of the threshold time, whereby the processing section can recognize the end of the input operation. Since an end of an input operation is recognized, a process of generating data in accordance with a recognition result can be completed.
As described above, according to the invention, the processing section is capable of reliably recognizing an end of an input operation to the entry unit composing the wireless input apparatus even when a trouble occurs in the wireless communication channel, so that a wrong operation can be prevented from being performed since the processing unit is capable of recognizing a start of an input operation but incapable of recognizing the end of the input operation.
In the invention it is preferable that the processing unit further includes a repeat-of-operation judging timer which is set for a reference time for considering the input operation as being repeated, in the case where an input operation status still continues after the start of the input operation to the entry unit, the threshold time of the end-of-operation judging timer is preset to be shorter than the reference time, and the processing section causes the repeat-of-operation judging timer to start measuring the reference time when the signal receiving section receives a first operation signal, and repeatedly generates data associated with the input operation in the case where the repeat-of-operation judging timer has ended the measurement of the reference time although an end of the input operation is not recognized yet.
According to the invention, the processing unit includes the repeat-of-operation judging timer which is set for a reference time for judging the input operation as continuing on in the case where an input operation status continues after the start of the input operation to the entry unit. When the signal receiving section receives a first operation signal from the entry unit, the processing section of the processing unit causes the repeat-of-operation judging timer to start measuring the reference time. A threshold time shorter than the reference time is set in the end-of-operation judging timer, so that in the case where the signal receiving section does not receive an operation signal from the entry unit for the threshold time, the processing section recognizes that the input operation is ended. In the case where the signal receiving section receives an operation signal repeatedly and the reference time has elapsed from reception of the first operation signal, the end of the input operation is not recognized yet, so that the input operation can be repeated by repeatedly generating data associated with the input operation.
As described above, according to the invention, when an input operation to the entry unit continues for a reference time or more, the processing section can recognize that the input operation continues, and even when a trouble occurs in the wireless communication channel and reception of an operation signal from the entry unit by the processing unit is stopped, the input operation is judged as having ended as long as the threshold time has elapsed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a wrong operation of judging that an input operation is repeated.
In the invention it is preferable that the processing unit further includes an information transmitting section for transmitting information to the entry unit via the wireless communication channel, and a processing-side control section for controlling communication of information and signals with the entry unit via the information transmitting section and the signal receiving section, the entry unit further includes an information receiving section for receiving information from the processing section via the wireless communication channel, and an entry-side control section for controlling communication of information and signals with the processing unit via the information receiving section and the signal transmitting section, and the processing-side control section and the entry-side control section control the communication of information and signals according to a predetermined procedure, judge after an end of the communication whether or not the communication was normally performed, and perform the communication again when judging that communication was not normally performed.
According to the invention, the processing unit includes the information transmitting section for transmitting information to the entry unit via the wireless communication channel, and the processing-side control section for controlling communication of information and signals with the entry unit via the information transmitting section and the signal transmitting section. The entry unit includes then information receiving section for receiving information from the processing unit via the wireless communication channel, and the entry-side control section for controlling communication of information and signals with the processing unit via the information receiving section and the signal transmitting section. The processing-side control section and the entry-side control section control the communication of information and signals according to a predetermined procedure. The processing-side control section and the entry-side control section judge after the end of the communication whether the communication was normally performed or not, and perform communication again when judging that the communication was not normally performed. Therefore, communication of signals and information can be performed with reliability between the entry unit and the processing unit.
As described above, according to the invention, when transmission of information and signals between the entry unit and the processing unit via the wireless communication channel is not normally performed, the communication is performed again, so that mutual communication of information and signals can be performed with reliability.
In the invention it is preferable that infrared rays are used as a communication medium in the wireless communication channel.
According to the invention, details of the input operation to the entry unit can be transmitted to the processing unit via a wireless communication channel in which infrared rays are used as a medium. Since infrared rays are used as a medium, a wireless communication channel over a relatively short distance can be formed with ease. As described above, according to the invention, infrared rays are used as a medium in the wireless communication channel, so that details of an input operation to the entry unit can be transmitted to the processing unit with a relatively simple configuration.
In the invention it is preferable that radio waves are used as a communication medium in the wireless communication channel.
According to the invention, radio waves are used as a medium to perform wireless communication from the entry unit to the processing unit, so that a signal associated with an input operation to the entry unit can be transmitted to the processing unit even in the case of transmission over a relatively long distance. As described above, according to the invention, radio waves are used as a medium in the wireless communication channel, so that details of an input operation can be transmitted from the entry unit to the processing unit in a relatively wide range.
In the invention it is preferable that visible light is used as a communication medium in the wireless communication channel.
According to the invention, details of the input operation to the entry unit can be transmitted to the processing unit with visible light used as a medium. Since visible light is used as a medium, the operator can visually check the wireless communication channel and judge with ease whether a trouble occurs or not. As described above, according to the invention, visible light is used as a medium in the communication channel to transmit details of an input operation from the entry unit to the processing unit, so that the operator can check a forming status of the wireless communication channel from the surroundings.
In the invention it is preferable that a keyboard is used as the entry unit.
According to the invention, in the case of using a keyboard as the entry unit, it is possible to reliably cause the processing unit to recognize details of the input operation to the keyboard including a key release.
In the invention it is preferable that a mouse is used as the entry unit.
According to the invention, in the case of using a mouse as the entry unit, it is possible to reliably cause the processing unit to recognize details of an operation of a button of the mouse including a release operation of the button.
In the invention it is preferable that a game pad is used as the entry unit.
According to the invention, in the case of using a game pad as the entry unit, it is possible to reliably cause the processing unit to recognize details of the input operation to the game pad including a release operation of a button.
In the invention it is preferable that a tablet is used as the entry unit.
According to the invention, in the case of using a tablet as the entry unit, it is possible to reliably cause the processing unit to recognize details of an operation of a button of the tablet including a release operation of the button.